Dave and Lillian Brummet offer tips, interviews and resources to inspire hope in individuals; helping them realize the value of their efforts, encouraging them to become more positive, proactive in life.

Thursday, March 31, 2011

Today on the Conscious Discussions Talk Radio show I have Artie Lynnworth coming in, who is bringing 40 years of “real world” experience to help you learn practical techniques for making positive change in your life - serving you at work or at home. We’ll learn about the joys of helping change lives for the better through mentoring and coaching, tips for success for interviews (jobs and college entrance), resume improvements and more.

Fujita Corp., a mid-sized general construction firm in Tokyo has successfully created a fascinating new road technology, known as Photoroad Technology Clean Oxidant, that actually a road pavement "captures and decomposes volatile organic compounds in emissiongases from cars." * Volatile Organic Compounds are often referred to by the more familiar acronym: VOC's.

Apparently the Photoroad Technology Clean Oxidant road tests have proven that this stuff can absorb about 20% of the VOC s emitted by traffic, which is then decomposed somehow through a special coating that is sprayed on the pavement surface.

Amazing, isn't it?

Find Dave and Lillian Brummet, excerpts from their books, information about their radio program, newsletter, blogs, and more at: www.brummet.ca

* Support the Brummets by telling your friends, or visiting the Brummet's Store - every sale raises funds for charity as well!

Tuesday, March 29, 2011

...This quote has me thinking of high-energy joy-filled folks that I've known that are reaching toward retirement age, or are retired, and have this boundless energy for life. People like Aunt Wanda and Uncle Gary, Hildegard, Barry and Bruce, Dave and Leslie... and others whose age is no barrier to happiness in and excitement for life. The way these people live their lives actually inspires hope in others, helping us see our lives differently. So many in this world become exhausted and bruised by life and lose enthusiasm for participating and finding joy, which perpetuates the fear of what age and the future will bring for those around them. We are blessed to have known several shining, positive influences that have influenced the way we perceive this life.

-- Conscious Discussions Talk Radio --

I found today’s guest after stumbling on his blog one day and becoming thoroughly impressed. Tim Smith is the owner of that blog, where he offers quite an extensive array of knowledge on alternative energy. Join us for this discussion live @: 10-11 AM Pacific - and drop in the live chat room if you have a chance. Of course you can access the archived interview at your convenience later on as well.

You might remember previous discussions on ways to inspire citizens to participate in recycling programs… We’ve highlighted many different studies showing the results of both punishment-based and reward-based programs, and also showed some interesting organizations that actually pay people for sending them their trash.

I was sent a fantastic bit of news along this same genre of thought, from Hidden Resources, which highlighted the city of Del Mar’s (California, USA) proposed waste management program.

Apparently they are considering taking a Pay-As-You-Throw type of system, using different sized containers to base their fee on. They intend to encourage businesses and individual homes that opt for the smallest container, by offering reduced rates. An increased education campaign for recycling and composting alternatives will accompany this program.

Other cities from across the globe have proven that programs like these are effective – the cities experience double the volume of recyclables being collected, and a lot less waste heading to the landfill.

What I like most about this is that those who are participating as much as they can in the waste reduction effort are being rewarded. And those who are abusing the system will face higher fees. It makes sense to me. I know I feel a bit miffed that while we put out 1.5 bags of garbage and 4 bags of recyclables per month, we are paying the same rate as someone who is putting out that much every single week. I see a lot of homes still putting 2 very full big black garbage bags out on the curb every single week. So why should I be charged fees that cover their wasteful habits? At the same time some flexibility must be in place for those who might be doing construction or repairs to the property - which tends to generate more waste (such as old paint brushes, masking tape and plastic drop cloths, etc). It is an interesting concept that really needs to be explored more fully.

Find Dave and Lillian Brummet, excerpts from their books, information about their radio program, newsletter, blogs, and more at: www.brummet.ca

* Support the Brummets by telling your friends, or visiting the Brummet's Store - every sale raises funds for charity as well!

Monday, March 28, 2011

Many of our readers are familiar with this section of the blog, this is where I pass on some resources that I feel would appeal to you and help you in your pursuit of a conscious, proactive lifestyle. Please do visit these sites that are listed in the Referral Corner section of the blog... and drop them a note of support, letting them know you heard of them through this blog.

Today I'd like to highlight three organizations that work for better climate management strategies:

Union of Concerned Scientists: This is considered the leading non-profit science-based group of citizens and scientists working together for climate and environmental solutions.

Pew Climate Center: This organization believes in working together to engage business leaders, policy makers and key decision makers to advance meaningful, cost-effective climate policy and action plans.

Western Climate Initiative: A collaboration of independent jurisdictions working together to identify, evaluate, and implement policies to tackle climate change at a regional level. This is a comprehensive effort to reduce greenhouse gas pollution, spur investment in clean-energy technologies that create green jobs and reduce dependence on imported oil.

As we learned yesterday on the radio show, there are a myriad of things we could or should do – but the point is to just start somewhere, and celebrate that.

Sometimes it is such a small thing that we dismiss how important it can be – For instance installing just 6 Energy Efficient CFL’s in high-use areas around the office or home can bring in a savings of $35 annually …even more savings can be had from the LED light bulbs.

Here are a few others that we often dismiss, but can have a huge impact in the end:

- Replace all washers on hoses, and taps around the property annually

- Save up to 30% energy with Energy Star TV upgrades

- Save up to 75 dollars annually by upgrading the fridge with an energy efficient model

- Install and use dimmer switches and occupancy sensors to reduce lighting costs

Find Dave and Lillian Brummet, excerpts from their books, information about their radio program, newsletter, blogs, and more at: www.brummet.ca

* Support the Brummets by telling your friends, or visiting the Brummet's Store - every sale raises funds for charity as well!

Sunday, March 27, 2011

Today's episode will be focusing on greening businesses, conscious marketing and eco-fun :) Come join us live, where I'll have a chat room open for live listeners only - or drop by and access the archived show at your convenience... via the hyper-linked show title (below) or via the right-hand side-bar on this blog, where you can find a short list of recently aired episodes on the Conscious Discussions Talk Radio show. Today's episode: Positive Eco-News

-- Brummet's in the Media --

Check out my article on waste reduction in the world of literacy - titled: Extend the Life of Books & Magazines article over at Lucia Hua's : iLive, iLaugh, iLove Books blog - http://leecheeeee813.blogspot.com

-- Positive News --

I was reading the May/June 2010 issue of the Recycling Product News magazine and stumbled on some recycling information about plastics that I thought you might be interested in.

The European Plastics Recyclers Trade Association found that about 51% of the recyclable plastics there were recovered. So I followed the link that they suggested - plasticsrecyclers.eu - and this is what I discovered:

The total global production of plastics grew from 1.5 million tons in 1950 – to 245 million tons in 2008.

The biggest consumers of plastic? – packaging (37%), Construction 21%, vehicles 8% and electronics 6%... the remaining 28% is used in the medical, leisure and “other” uses.

Bioplastics and oxo-degradable plastics (with metal salts added) are not as recyclable – since they have different properties that traditional plastics.

Also, one of the ideas on the discussion table right now for increasing recycling in the manufacturing industries is to have a labeling scheme in place that promotes a minimum mandatory recycled content in products.

Find Dave and Lillian Brummet, excerpts from their books, information about their radio program, newsletter, blogs, and more at: www.brummet.ca

* Support the Brummets by telling your friends, or visiting the Brummet's Store - every sale raises funds for charity as well!

Saturday, March 26, 2011

“The way we are programmed to react and the energy flow of the body are two factors in a person’s health. …The organs all react to specific emotions – anger impacts the liver, worry affects the stomach… rejection on the heart… There is a link between specific emotions and damage in the organs. …The conscious mind is what we are aware of, focusing on, what we are thinking. The subconscious mind is like a big memory bank of everything that happened in our life, even if we cannot remember it. …The power of the subconscious mind is nine times more powerful than the conscious mind. …All the important things that create our reactions today happened before we were 7 years old.”

Check out the Reuse Alliance organization who is kicking off their Southern California Chapter. ReuseAlliance.org

Reuse Alliance is a US-based non-profit that is working to increase awareness of reuse by educating the public about the social, environmental and economic benefits of reuse. Their focus is to create a world where people are actively engaged in the reuse movement and as a result have created a cleaner environment and a greener economy for their communities.

-- Conscious Living Event --

Coming up on March 31st:

- Southern California Reuse Summit, March 31, 2011

Address:
20724 Lassen St. Chatsworth CA - USA

The goal of the summit: To bring together reuse organizations, community advocates, and resource recovery experts to discuss ways to increase diversion through reuse!

In honor of Earth Day, Planet Green will be hosting an e-waste recycling fundraiser to benefit California State University, Northridge's newest Alumni Chapter - MPA (Master's in Public Administration).

Bring in your e-waste and recyclables on 4/22 and 4/23 between 10 am and 3 pm and do something good for the environment and for charity!

Find Dave and Lillian Brummet, excerpts from their books, information about their radio program, newsletter, blogs, and more at: www.brummet.ca

* Support the Brummets by telling your friends, or visiting the Brummet's Store - every sale raises funds for charity as well!

Friday, March 25, 2011

“…I think there is this disconnect when it comes to water issues – a lot of areas are extracting ground water at a greater rate than what can be replenished by rain and snow, and that is a problem because the ground can sink and affect roads and bridges and all types of infrastructure. …Billions of gallons go leaking away every single day. …Look into your own water system – find out the state that the system is in, and who is testing it. …Replace thirsty lawns, especially those that are not being used, with lush and beautiful xeroscape plants. …Lawns do keep down dust and reduce heat in urban areas, but there are better options. …Every time you turn on the tap, think about it – so that it becomes a conscious thing that we do, rather than an automatic thing.”

Yesterday's special guest on the Conscious Discussions radio show offered a children's book contest, all you have to do is sign up for her newsletter or email her via her site: MotivatedByNature.com *Contest ends on April 8.

-- Positive Eco-News --

* From the article: Canned – published in: The Coffee Mate

The can was invented in 1810 in London about a year after the canning process was invented in France. People didn’t really get into them until after 1846, probably due to having to use a hammer and chisel to open them – but the can opener was invented in 1858 in America…which was initially given away. According to the article “since 2972, some 64 million tons of aluminum cans, or 3 trillion cans have been produced…. Recycling cans saves 95% of th energy required to make aluminum from ore… and recycled cans are so much in demand that the process from the recycling center to becoming a new can on a grocery shelf is only 60 days” on average.

Find Dave and Lillian Brummet, excerpts from their books, information about their radio program, newsletter, blogs, and more at: www.brummet.ca

* Support the Brummets by telling your friends, or visiting the Brummet's Store - every sale raises funds for charity as well!

Finding Your Bliss is our topic today, with special guest - Susanne Alexander Heaton:CEO of Motivated by Nature... an author, publisher, speaker and fundraiser. While being in a wide variety of work settings, Susanne had some life changing wake-up calls occur that inspired her to start her own company. Through her children's book The ABC Field Guide to Faeries, Susanne has raised over $15,000 for worthy causes – and this is just the start.

Join us live, and drop in the chat room... or access the archived show at your convenience. The hyper-linked show title (above) will take you there, or you can access the recently aired Conscious Discussions Talk Radio show episodes via the sidebar on this blog (to the right).

A lot of our southern areas are already experiencing temperatures high enough to consider uncovering or re-installing their air conditioning units. While those of us in south-western Canada are still looking at chilly days, summer heat is just 6 weeks away. I would like to take this opportunity to give some tips for this...

- Situate the air conditioner so that it is not exposed to direct sunlight. If this is not possible consider building a slated wooden shelter to provide shade, and help it run more efficiently.

- Air conditioners are now made to be between 40% and 90% more efficient than those that are just a few years old. So upgrading may be something you want to look at - depending on how often you intend to use that machine, you may just save a lot of money. Here are two resources that may help you in this regard:

Coolerodo.com: (from their site...) "... cool air without using any chemical refrigerants... use up to 90% less electricity depending on the humidity and elevation above sea level. As a result, electrical demand is significantly reduced thereby reducing the amount of pollutants created by power plants"

Wednesday, March 23, 2011

I have the pleasure of bringing our readers another World of Writing Interview installment, the guest today is James Fontaine. He tells me that he was inspired to write the book Never Mad Again: A Transformational Guide to Live in Peace in order to share stories of hope and healing with people who desire to live in peace and release the powerful influence of the ego. James also manages a blog titled: Never Mad Again. His passion for sharing ideas and resources that help people become aligned with their true selves shines strongly in this interview below.

Find out more about his blog, books, or links to follow James on social networking sites at: www.nevermadagain.com

Q: James, let's start with who inspired you to pursue a career in writing...

There have been many people, that inspired me to write and to help others by writing, but the one who has has inspired me in a deeper way is Dr.Wayne W. Dyer. I had the idea to write a book for many years, but I wasn’t able to do it, because I didn’t have the time or I didn’t have the chance to do it, One day I read a Dr. Dyer’s book, and then I listened to some of his conferences. Then I decided I wouldn’t give any other excuse, and started writing. I am convinced that there is a perfect timing for everything, and I know that this is the right time for this book.

Q:How does writing help you feel like you are making a difference in the world?

I am convinced that we came to have this human experience, with the mission to help others. For me writing has been the best source to help others, in a way I wouldn’t be able to reach as many people as with a book. When I an writing I feel I can reach many souls, I feel I make a connection with them, and in that way I can help them to find their own path towards peace and joy in life.

Q:What do you do when you are not writing?

When I am not writing I am usually promoting the book, which will be more intense in the following months. I also attend a couple of business. But the most important thing that I do when I am not writing is to expend time with my family, therefore I can live precious moments that will never return, and that will be gone if I am there with them. I also like to exercise, and right now I am training for my first full Ironman which will be in Texas next May.

Q:What gave you the idea (inspiration) for this book?

As incredible as it seems, I am a person who does not get mad, and I had been asked for years: "How do You do it?, How come You don´t get mad at all?." Many of my friend asked me repeatedly, and my wife’s friend kept asking her the same questions about me. Then I realized I could help others with that, so I made a lot of research in order to find a way to express what I have been doing for years, I studied many authors in order to be able to give the audience an accessible way to never be mad again.

Q:What were some of the challenges you faced in writing your non-fiction books?

The first and most important challenge was “time”, I didn’t stop working in order to write the book. So I used to write, before I got to the office, sometimes I had to finish everything in order to have half hour to keep writing. But when I got the time I just couldn’t stop writing, I don’t really know where the words came from, but I kept writing and writing, and the chapters just coming to my mind, until I finished the book. The title also came to my mind in just one moment, and then I knew it was the right one

Q:What are the biggest surprises you’ve encountered as a writer?

The biggest surprise, has been the response of the people I talk about my book; most of the times when I talk about the name of the book Never Mad Again, they tell me that it will definitely help them, or help someone they know, that is close to them. This conversation surprises me every time, because I see there is a huge need for people to find a way to not be angry anymore, most people I talk with want to quit anger, but they just don’t know how, and that is why the book attracts them so much.

Find Dave and Lillian Brummet, excerpts from their books, information about their radio program, newsletter, blogs, and more at: www.brummet.ca

* Support the Brummets by telling your friends, or visiting the Brummet's Store - every sale raises funds for charity as well!

These are just a few of hundreds of amazing organizations, communities with sister cities in Japan, and thousands of individuals that are currently campaigning and fundraising for Japan’s people.

-- Conscious Discussions Radio --

Personal ethics – Why is this such an important part of the human experience? How can adopting ethics bring us toward a more productive fulfilled life? We’ll find out today. Author, speaker and lifetime volunteer Jennifer Hancock is here today to share her experiences, offer tips and resources for us to check out. We’ll also hear about her experiences in Hawaii and China and much more – so hang out with us, we have a lot to cover in this hour long discussion: Compassionate, Proactive Living

Airs Live @ 10-11 AM Pacific - Live chat room will be open :)

Today's episode will be archived for those who cannot make the live broadcast, just click the link (above)- or via the sidebar on this blog.

Find Dave and Lillian Brummet, excerpts from their books, information about their radio program, newsletter, blogs, and more at: www.brummet.ca

* Support the Brummets by telling your friends, or visiting the Brummet's Store - every sale raises funds for charity as well!

Monday, March 21, 2011

Today we have the second installment of a special 2-part presentation by William & Nancy Martin - Nancy has many years experience as a clergywoman and as a director of volunteers for Enloe Hospice (Chico, California - USA); while William has experience as a therapist, college instructor, writer, and as a minister. The couple have two grown children and can be found at: www.TheStillPoint.com or at: www.CaregiversTao.com

Based on the book The Caregiver’s Tao Te Ching

Part 2 of Ancient Wisdom for Today's Caregivers

by William & Nancy Martin

Caring for another person is not about orchestrating the day so that it goes according to some idealized “plan.” It is about letting go of our ideals and making room for the two people who are here in this place, in this moment. This brings us the freedom to open our hearts to ourselves and to those in our care.

Acceptance is the key.

...If we try to get rid of our pain

we will suffer all the more.

This is the secret of our path:

gentleness and flexibility bring the results

that force and rigidity fail to achieve.

(from The Tao Te Ching, Chapter 36)

When we are confronted with circumstances that are not what we want them to be, it is natural to push back against them. We want to change them, deny them, or make them go away. We communicate to the one in our care that she is not who we want her to be - someone who is whole, healthy, and vigorous. We communicate to ourselves that we are not who we want to be — someone who is energetic, in control, and at ease. We each end up discouraged and withdrawn.

When we notice this tension and yield our attempts to change things, our experience is transformed. When we accept that this set of symptoms and these challenges are just what is happening in the moment, we find solid ground. When we acknowledge what is real, our vision clears. Now we can see what is possible, what our energy and our care receiver’s strength will allow today.

The present moment is all we have.

The present moment is all we have,

so we are not constantly seeking

a faster way to do things

or a better place to be.

(from Chapter 80 of The Tao Te Ching)

There is no other time or place. There is nothing else that we should be doing in an attempt to make things other than what they are. This experience was always going to contain pain, weakness, uncertainty and fear. It is the product of a very specific set of relationships, experiences, and perspectives. This is our life, not some distraction or diversion from it. There is not some “normal” life that has been put on hold for these weeks and months. If we allow ourselves to sink completely into this present moment of our life, we can find contentment in our giving of care. In time, we discover that we would not have missed this experience for anything in the world.

Find Dave and Lillian Brummet, excerpts from their books, information about their radio program, newsletter, blogs, and more at: www.brummet.ca

* Support the Brummets by telling your friends, or visiting the Brummet's Store - every sale raises funds for charity as well!

Sunday, March 20, 2011

Sunday Gardening is our topic today. We'll be sharing information on shopping consciously in the gardening season, some recommended seed resources, some gardening programs, and more today.

Airs live, as always, at 10-11 AM (Pacific) - a live chat room will be open for listeners, ... the archive usually loads within a few minutes so it will be up and ready for those who cannot make the live broadcast.

Well, back in the office after 2 days off. I'll start working on the outlines for the interviews we have scheduled in April later today and hopefully will have that project completed by Monday evening. It is the last thing on my to-do list that has a deadline (I'm a little late) and then I can get back to the other mass of to-do's :) I hope you'll join me today to share information on gardening... don't forget to ask questions live, or in the chat room, or send us a message, email, etc. I love to be challenged with new gardening questions, research the problem and then share the information for everyone to enjoy :)

Find Dave and Lillian Brummet, excerpts from their books, information about their radio program, newsletter, blogs, and more at: www.brummet.ca

* Support the Brummets by telling your friends, or visiting the Brummet's Store - every sale raises funds for charity as well!

Friday, March 18, 2011

Today is the 2nd of the 3 days I am supposed to take off from the home office - something I do every single month - my one weekend away... lol

However, I find myself here in the office this morning, with a list of to-do's that nag at my mind. Ah, the difficulties of having a home office... it never, ever goes away.

While I'm out of the office over the next 2 days (painting the upstairs bedrooms instead) I hope that you'll scroll through the archived posts here on this blog, and look through the links on the sidebars for all kinds of interesting information, tips, resources... I'll open the doors to the office again on Sunday morning, and hosting a Sunday Gardening segment on the radio show. :)

Thursday, March 17, 2011

"I can choose how I'm going to regard unfortunate circumstances in my life -- whether I will see them as curses or opportunities. I can choose my words and the tone of voice in which I speak to others; and most of all, I can choose my thoughts."

~ Elizabeth Gilbert

-- Free E-book Contest --

March 17 - 20 (at midnight)

March is E-book Month and we're participating an e-book giveaway with 23 e-books to choose from. And you're not limited to just one, either. There are Children’s, Fantasy, Mystery/Adventure, Non-fiction, Science Fiction, and Romance - inspirational, suspense, or comedy romances! We've decided to offer two: including our Jump-start for Writers e-book and the Towards Understanding e-books - (see the synopsis for these books below)

Synopsis: Learn how to prepare for a book's release, accelerate publicity efforts, do co-writing projects, and manage your time better. This mini e-book was put together by marketing gurus, Dave and Lillian Brummet - Hosts and Producers of the Conscious Discussions Talk Radio and the Brummet's Conscious Blog

Title of Book: Towards Understanding

Genre: Poetry; non-fiction

Synopsis: This is a true story about recovering from a rough childhood, embracing life as a woman, and discovering the value of her life with author Lillian Brummet. This collection of 125 poems takes you through the various stages of growing up, discovering "self", and the desire to leave a positive legacy with every sunset.

Wednesday, March 16, 2011

-- Quote of the Day --

“To me the written and spoken word is the new view point, it is the broom that sweeps clean, it is the idea you have never thought of before, it’s the other persons moccasins that you’ve never worn before, it’s the traveling across the world from your arm chair…”

~ Lucinda Crosby

Today's quote originated from the Honoring Storytellers interview that aired back on Feb 15 via the Conscious Discussions Talk Radio show. Click on the hyper-linked title (above) to access this interview, or look to the sidebar of this blog to find recently aired episodes.

-- Energy Retrofits --

Today's guest - Shel Horowitz - is offering an article with his thoughts on renewable energy retrofits, showing us how to “reach green, socially conscious consumers with marketing that has THEM calling YOU.” He writes the Green And Profitable/Green and Practical columns and is the primary author of Guerrilla Marketing Goes Green. Shel can be found @ GreenAndProfitable.com

Could Energy Retrofits be the Best Performing Investment?

Okay, we all know the usual places to put money are performing pretty badly right now. But get this: the Empire State Building is embarking on a massive energy retrofit that will return nearly 28 percent a year! The project will cost $13.2 million, not exactly chump change–but will slash energy consumption by 35 to 40 percent, and save $3.8 million a year (considerably more, if energy costs spike back up again). After the third year, that’s nearly $4 million going directly to the bottom line. If the improvements have even a 20-year lifespan, that $13.2 million investment would return $176 million, and that’s with stable energy prices. The number is much, much higher if you factor in average energy cost increases of 5 percent a year. (I’m not going to do the math here, because I don’t know all the factors we’d need to compute–but it’s sure to be at least $200 million, maybe much more).

Too bad we can’t put our Roth IRAs into renewable-energy retrofits .

Meanwhile, we can all learn from the creative thinking at Rocky Mountain Institute, which is doing the heavy lifting on this project–for example, re-manufacturing the windows on-site to reduce trucking costs in fuel and money. For years, RMI has been generating this kind of holistic, big-picture energy planning that saves many times the cost, and quickly.

RMI's founder, Amory Lovins, likes to talk about the idea of "negawatts"—the energy you don't consume by building (or retrofitting) for efficiency in the first place. And Lovins walks his talk. Even as far back as 1983, when he built his own super-efficient 4000-square-foot house in the cold and snowy Colorado Rockies—Snowmass, CO, just outside Aspen—he was able to build a house warm and comfortable enough to grow bananas inside, that doesn't need a furnace. And even though back then, solar and insulation technology were far more primitive than they are today, the extra money he spent building compared to a conventional house was paid back in savings within just ten months—wow!